"If I’d asked them what they wanted, they’d have asked for a faster horse.” This philosophy resonates with Henry Ford, a gifted entrepreneurial businessman who was about to revolutionise transport in new inconceivable ways. And it’s on this day (18 May), National Museum Day, that Ford South Africa chooses to recognise not only the eponymous Henry Ford - for his determination to make the motor car affordable to the average citizen and modernize the assembly line - but to also highlight the many Ford museums you can visit virtually during these trying lockdown times.

The complexity and technology involved in a modern vehicle assembly plant is simply breathtaking, with Ford Company of Southern Africa’s Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria capable of building over 26 000 different combinations of the Ranger pickup and Everest seven-seater SUV for domestic sales and export to over 100 markets globally.

Missing your driving? You don’t have to be. You can still get the Ford engine rumbling and its revs racing, albeit virtually, with the best games to keep the household buzzing. Not only can scheduled game time add structure to a day and break the monotony of crucial “Stay Home” directives, it can promote family time and friendly competition.

While getting struck by bird poop may be a sign of good luck in many countries, bird poop landing on your car can have more serious consequences, for your paintwork. Fortunately, Ford vehicles are tested for just this eventuality, with the help of artificial bird poop.

Every year, World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day on 8 May celebrates and honours the millions of volunteers and members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) around the globe who provide a lifeline to communities in need across 189 countries. In 2020, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, any thoughts of celebration have been superseded by the organisation’s selfless commitment to supporting desperate communities, families and individuals directly and indirectly impacted by the coronavirus.

A South African student team from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has been selected as one of 14 Enactus teams globally to receive a grant through the Ford Motor Company Fund’s COVID-19 College Challenge for their innovative community projects.

Ford dealers in South Africa have stepped up to support Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa’s initiative to produce COVID-19 face shields by contributing R1-million to the project from the Ford National Dealer Council.

Wildlife is one of the major drawcards for tourists to South Africa, and wildlife tourism one of the economic engines of our country. Many conservation projects rely on wildlife tourism to generate enough funding to cover daily costs, including ranger’s salaries and veterinary care.

From playing a quick game of Pac-Man on an arcade machine at the corner café, to becoming part of a hugely sophisticated digital ecosystem, gamers and gaming culture have come a long way over the past 40 years. Ford Motor Company, in collaboration with gamers, has now designed the ultimate in-game race car, which will soon be debuted on the virtual grid by Team Fordzilla, the automaker’s very own Esports team.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa’s continued investment in its Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria has unlocked significant increases in its production volumes, with the Ford Ranger pickup exported to over 100 global markets, and the seven-seater Everest SUV shipped to countries across Africa.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa’s initiative to produce protective face shields for front-line medical and essential services personnel in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has been given a boost with local non-governmental organisation, Gift of the Givers Foundation, coming on board to provide the banking facility for the funds being raised.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) is bolstering the Ford EcoSport’s leading position in the compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) segment with the addition of a six-speed automatic transmission for the popular and most affordable Ambiente petrol derivative. This is complemented by specification upgrades on the Trend and Titanium models that enhance driving safety and comfort.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has confirmed its support for Ford Credit customers in response to the growing impact of the COVID-19 lockdown. Personal and business Ford Credit customers that are impacted by reduced income or cashflow now have the option of requesting a payment deferral.

“Built Ford Tough” will take on a new dimension when the Ford Castrol Cross Country Team debuts the highly anticipated, all-new FIA-class Ford Ranger later this year in the South African Cross Country Series (SACCS).

Washing hands, disinfecting, not touching your face and wearing masks is only part of the solution. Staying home so that infection won't spread is now a global effort against COVID-19. Many governments have taken extra precaution by imposing strict travel restrictions, meaning our vehicles may be parked for the foreseeable future.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has commenced production of 57 000 protective face shields that will be donated to front-line medical and essential services personnel who are most at risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus that has spread worldwide.

Ford Motor Company, in collaboration with GE Healthcare, announced today it will begin producing in Michigan a third-party ventilator with the goal to produce 50,000 of the vitally needed units within 100 days and up to 30,000 a month thereafter as needed.

On Saturday 7 March, several convoys of Ford Ranger double cabs, loaded with boxes of books, teaching aids, and other educational materials, set out from Nkambeni Safari Camp in the Kruger National Park to visit some of the most remote and disadvantaged primary schools in the Hazyview, Mpumalanga area.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) is continuing its commitment to changing and improving people’s lives by donating three vehicles to support the commendable work of non-profit community organisations in Cape Town.

For over 30 years, FMCSA has been actively involved in the conservation of wildlife and ecosystems in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, investing almost R40-million to support more than 170 projects to date.

As we enter the fourth industrial revolution, jobs of the future will be driven by technology and innovation, and recent studies suggest that 65 per cent of children entering primary school today will have jobs that don’t yet exist.

Whether it’s Italian exotics, British roadsters, or American muscle cars that get your motor running, the fact is these kind of performance vehicles don’t come cheap. They are bought for aesthetics and driving pleasure, rather than utility or economy.

Education is humanity’s greatest renewable resource. It is a fundamental human right, and a public responsibility. Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, we cannot hope to succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth, and adults behind.

Between 2009 and 2018, Ford invested over R11-billion in its local operations, proving its commitment to the local market as a global production hub for the highly successful Ranger line-up which is sold locally and exported to 148 markets around the world.

FMCSA is introducing a third shift to its vehicle assembly operations at the Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria to meet the growing international and local demand for the New Ranger, Ranger Raptor and Everest.

In 2018, Ford submitted a proposal to the Unicode Consortium - the organization that reviews and approves proposals for new emoji - to add a truck to emoji keyboards everywhere. Now, the pickup truck emoji has been short-listed as a candidate for inclusion in a future version of Unicode.

Ford Motor Company and its philanthropic arm, the Ford Motor Company Fund, have launched a grants programme to support social enterprises that benefit women and children while developing sustainable mobility solutions globally.

Last week we circulated a communication on the potential security risks to certain Fiesta and EcoSport models, specifically around manipulating the driver’s door, which can ultimately provide access to the cabin if deliberately targeted.
From the 3rd of May 2019, communication will go out to our customers in the form of eDMs and social media posts regarding scheduling of appointments with dealers. It is important to note that the break-ins are not related to a vehicle design or manufacturing fault. The vehicles are therefore not being recalled.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) is expanding its operations at the Struandale Engine Plant in Port Elizabeth as part of a wide-ranging investment in its two South African plants, announced late last year.

Ford Motor Company has learned that certain derivatives of Focus (1.0L & 1.5L, August 2012 - June 2016); Kuga (1.5L & 1.6L, August 2011 - June 2016); and Transit Connect and Tourneo Connect (1.0L, August 2012 - June 30 2016) with manual gearboxes could suffer a clutch pressure plate fracture, with the risk of fire. . Safety is always a top priority and we are acting quickly to address this issue.

Ford Motor Company today announced that the thrilling, first-ever Ford Ranger Raptor will be produced in South Africa when it hits the market in 2019, introducing an entirely new level of off-road performance and capability to the mid-size pick-up segment.

Ford Motor Company of South Africa (FMCSA) proudly introduced a new official brand ambassador for the Ford Wildlife Foundation (FWF) in the form of Gabriel Sithole, a popular South African radio presenter, photographer and wildlife conservationist.

Ford South Africa is now the official vehicle sponsor for Orlando Pirates, bringing two of the country’s most popular vehicle and sporting brands together for the first time in a three-year partnership. Ford South Africa and Orlando Pirates Football Club are proud to announce their partnership agreement.

Ford Motor Company today announced that the hugely popular Ford Ranger bakkie will be available in an off-road performance variant for the first time. The purpose-built, desert-racing inspired bakkie joins the Ford Performance family, as the new ‘Ford Ranger Raptor’. The Ranger Raptor will be coming to South Africa, with further information to be revealed in due course.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has commenced with Phase 2 of the safety recall action for all affected Kuga 1.6 models, and is requesting customers to schedule an appointment with their dealer in order to have the vehicle enhancements completed.

Ford Motor Company is a responsible global corporate citizen with an aggressive focus on reducing water usage in its manufacturing. Ford has been acknowledged as world-leading for the past two years by CDP, an international company which is driving sustainable economies. FMCSA has invested more than $21-million in a Wastewater Treatment Plant at its Silverton facility.

Ford College Community Challenge (C3) runs in partnership with the Ford Motor Company Fund and international non-profit organisation Enactus. Empowers students to improve and uplift communities through sustainable economic and environmental initiatives. Student-driven projects selected at Durban University of Technology, Mangosuthu University of Technology, University of Pretoria and University of Witwatersrand to receive USD 5 000 each for their Ford C3 projects.

Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine named 2017 International Engine of the Year “Best Engine Under 1.0-litre” for the sixth year in a row. Fuel-efficient, compact and powerful engine has won 10 International Engine of Year awards since launch in 2012; powers one in five Ford vehicles sold in Europe. Ford to offer 1.0-litre EcoBoost with innovative cylinder deactivation technology for further reduced CO2 emissions and improved fuel-efficiency from early 2018

Ford is voluntarily recalling Ikon vehicles, built between August 9, 2004 and March 24, 2012, and Figo vehicles, built between January 13, 2009 and March 24, 2012 in India to replace the high pressure power assisted steering hose, which may split, resulting in a power steering fluid leak.

Ford Credit Graduate Purchase Programme offers university graduates a helping hand. Offers university graduates a five percent discount off the purchase price of their new Ford and a preferential interest rate when financing with Ford Credit. Rewards the hard work and dedication required to obtain a university degree

Ford South Africa today announced that progress has been made with the implementation of the safety recall for the 1.6-litre Ford Kuga. More than 63% of the affected vehicles have already been repaired and returned to their owners, who can now enjoy ongoing peace of mind.